181 Books and a Martian from the Manhattan Rare Book Company
- by Michael Stillman
The finest English language play of the 20th century was written in French.
Fast forward those four decades and a no longer young Churchill would give A Speech by the Prime Minister in the House of Commons. The address was given on August 20, 1940. Churchill warns the public to be prepared for a few years of war, but explains that a few years is not a long time in British history, nor even in people's individual lives. And, Churchill notes, that by having "the honour to be the sole champion of the liberties of all Europe, we must not grudge these years or weary as we toil and struggle through them." Talk about putting a happy face on the seemingly hopeless task of defending his nation from ceaseless bombing and the world from unspeakable tyranny practically alone! Somehow, Churchill managed to pull it all off, for which we can all be eternally grateful. Item 36. $1,800.
Item 25 is one of the last looks at America's Indians while still relatively unchanged by American encroachment. George Catlin headed out to the American plains in 1830 and began painting the Indians in their natural surroundings. In time he would travel around America and Europe displaying his paintings in something of a precursor to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, though on a much less grand scale. In 1841, he published Letters and Notes on the Manners, Customs, and Conditions of the North American Indians. This first edition, first issue contains over 300 illustrations. $3,500.
The Manhattan Rare Book Company may be reached at 212-326-8907 or info@manhattanrarebooks.com. Their website is www.manhattanrarebooks.com.
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Book of Hours.- Heures de nostre dame a l'usaige de Romme, Paris, Antoine Chappiel pour Germain Hardouin, [1504]. £6,000-8,000
Forum, May 28: Colonna (Francesco). La Hypnerotomachia di Poliphilo, second edition, Venice, Sons of Aldus Manutius, 1545. £15,000-20,000
Forum, May 28:The Christ Child holding a crystal orb and surrounded by banderoles with devotional exhortations, on a leaf most probably from a Book of Hours, [Southern Netherlands, last decades of the fifteenth century]. £2,000-3,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Jackson (Shirley). The Haunting of Hill House, first English edition, signed presentation inscription from the author to Claude Fredericks, 1960. £2,000-3,000
Forum, May 28: Lennon (John). In His Own Write, first edition, first impression, signed by the author, 1964. £3,000-4,000
Forum, May 28: Doves Press.- Keats (John). [Poems], one of 200 copies on paper, Doves Press, 1914. £5,000-7,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Rodrigues (João Barbosa). Sertum Palmarum Brasiliensium, 2 vol., first and only edition, Brussels, 1903. £8,000-12,000
Forum, May 28: Newton (Sir Isaac). Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica…editio ultima, auctior et emendatior, Amsterdam, Sumptibus Societatis, 1714. £8,000-12,000
Forum, May 28: Kepler (Johannes). Ad Vitellionem paralipomena, wuibus astronomiae pars optica traditur, first edition, Frankfurt am Main, 1604. £5,000-7,000
Forum Auctions Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper 28th May 2026
Forum, May 28: Tagliacozzi (Gaspare). De Curtorum Chirurgia per insitionem, libri duo, first edition, Venice, Gasparo Bindoni, 1597. £7,000-10,000
Forum, May 28: Lootsman (Jacobsz). The Lightning Colomne, or Sea-Mirrour, containing the Sea-Coasts of the Northern, Eastern and Western Navigation..., 1670. £8,000-12,000
Forum, May 28: Ribelles y Helip (José), Attributed to. An album comprising 33 finely executed watercolours of Spanish costume, bull-fighting scenes, and other genre subjects, [circa 1830]. £10,000-15,000
